Longtime 4-H member shares experience with commissioners
Jordan Bowling, right in photo, speaks to the Tennessee 4-H Club Foundation board of directors alongside Warren County’s 4-H representative Ethan Hitchcock.
Both of Jordan’s parents were active in 4-H as children, and her grandfather and older sister were as well. She’s technically been a member since fourth grade, but remembers tagging along much earlier.
“4-H has influenced me a lot,” she said. “I’m honored to be able to be in it.”
The purpose of 4-H, according to its mission statement, is to “stimulate young people to gain knowledge, develop life skills and form positive attitudes to prepare them to become capable, responsible and compassionate adults.”
According to Jordan’s proclamation, 1,892 Anderson County youth have gone through the program. Members learn by doing hands-on projects in the fields of health, science, agriculture and citizenship.
Jordan’s focus has been citizenship, clothing and textiles, and design. She is bringing those two areas together by sewing stuffed animals for children going through juvenile court, an idea inspired by her mother, who is a lawyer. She also collects factory-made stuffed animals.
“If a child is going through juvenile court, maybe in a divorce or custody case, they can go and grab a toy,” she explained.
She is also passionate about helping children with disabilities. A friend inspired her.
“I have a friend in cheer, his name is Will. He has high-functioning autism,” she said. “We’re going to work with their homeschool group and get them in 4-H to help with different projects.”
4-H keeps her very busy. She travels most weekends, but the busy schedule doesn’t deter her.
“I truly love it,” she said. “I love the opportunities I’ve been given. In the last week, I was able to go talk to the Tennessee 4-H Foundation. It was really fun because I was able to give them my insight as to what funds should be used where.”
Victoria said that 4-H has given her daughter confidence in many different areas.
“I think that being involved in 4-H has definitely helped her public speaking skills,” she said. “She’s able to speak in front of audiences of 500 people; she’s very eloquent.”
Victoria and her husband, David, met in 1986 at 4-H National Congress in Chicago. She was Speaker of the House at the time, and she was there as a state citizenship winner. He was there as a national wildlife winner.
Jordan ran for the elected position of Speaker of the House but did not win.
“But that’s another thing 4-H does,” Victoria said. “It helps them deal with things that we consider failures. It’s taught her that it’s important to always give our best, but not to base your self worth on placing first every time.”
One of the biggest benefits of 4-H is the friendships that are formed. Victoria made friends in middle and high school that she is still close with today, and foresees Jordan doing the same.
Anderson County High currently has around 10 active 4-H participants, but Jordan thinks that number will grow over the next few years. Adult volunteer Donna Carter has been busy getting kids involved at younger ages, and hopes to increase attendance from homeschool groups as well, according to Jordan.
Jordan is also a cheerleader, an FFA member and was crowned Anderson County’s Fairest of the Fair over the summer. She stays busy with multiple 4-H projects, including sewing hats for newborns, making cards for service men and women overseas, and sewing small pillows for women who have breast cancer ports. The pillows have Velcro attachments that are used on seat belts for women with ports, according to Victoria. The pair often sews or work on the cards as they sit together at night watching television or just relaxing.
The proclamation proclaims October 7-14 National 4-H Week in Anderson County.